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3 Things We Love and 3 Things We Hate About The New Twitter Terms of Service

Twitter’s new Terms of Service, version 9, takes effect on August 1st. Do YOU know what’s changing? We here at FeedBuzz have highlighted the best and worst of Twitter’s newest policy. Are the updates enough to make you jump for joy? Or are you ready to throw in the towel and cancel your account? Let us know your reaction in the comments.

The Good Stuff

1. Twitter hashtags are now linked to Facebook hashtags.

Remember how much we rolled our eyes when we heard that Facebook was implementing hashtags? Roll no longer, fellow millenials! Twitter and Facebook hashtags are now linked. If your friend on Facebook is using the #UncleStories hashtag, he’ll be using the same hashtag as other users, even if they’re on Twitter. It’s even spelled the same way. Neat!

2. Victims of spam solicitations are now legally protected.

Those spam bots pestering you to fill out a survey so you can be cast in the background of the next Drake music video? They’ll have to put their money where their mouth is from now on. Word on the street is that Drake really is looking for people to be in his next video and he was eager to sign an agreement with Twitter to make sure we actually get the opportunity to do so! Unfortunately, other spam bots (for things like One Direction tickets, more followers, or backstage passes to see Justin Bieber) aren’t covered by these new terms. Good news, though, for us Drake fans.

3. Individual tweets are private property.

The language in the new Terms of Service clarify that tweets are the private property of the user. By posting tweets, we users grant Twitter and other Twitter users limited access to VIEW this private property. The end result is that Obama and his NSA cronies can’t peep your stuff. They can huff and puff at the door of Twitter headquarters but it won’t get them anywhere. If that doesn’t put your mind at ease, if Obama accidentally sees one of your tweets, he’s required to RT it. This guy has 34 million followers, so enjoy the exposure. There is an exception, though. Anyone using the #FreeJahar tag is fair game. I guess they had to throw ol’ “hope and change” a bone.

The Bad Stuff

1. Favstar is illegal.

Twitter messed up big time here. Not only does this ruin the future of the Favstar.fm website, but anyone caught paying attention to the Favstar notification robots will be sent to Twitter jail. Permanently.

2. You’re using the Report for Spam button wrong.

Twitter took the opportunity in the new Terms of Service to remind users that you are using the Report for Spam button incorrectly. Yes, even if the user is completely obscene, it isn’t technically spam. The Twitter spam cops spent 4 whole paragraphs lettings you know how much they don’t appreciate what you’re doing.

3. All RTs now equal endorsements.

Invalidating the bios of thousands and thousands of power-users, Twitter has explicitly laid out that all RTs count as endorsements. This works retroactively, too, so if you’ve ever RTed something that you don’t intend to endorse you had better fix it before August 1st.